Student athletes who are infected with COVID-19 should undergo cardiac screenings. That’s according to Banner Medical Director, Dr. Steven Erickson. Erickson says the virus can cause permanent heart damage.
"People have an infection with COVID-19 and it results in a viral infection or an inflammatory response in the heart, that can potentially cause arrhythmia or structural damage to the heart," he said.
Erickson’s colleague at Banner, pediatric cardiologist Dr. Michael Perez, echoed those concerns. Perez says in the general population there are signs of inflammation and scar formation in the heart, even when the person was asymptomatic.
He says signs include shortness of breath with activities, something they might not have experienced prior to contracting the virus. Fatigue and decreased energy levels are also red flags.
